14 incredible photos depict problems at Lake Oroville

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Water from Lake Oroville began to flow over the emergency spillway Saturday morning as the lake reached full capacity. Water officials and engineers were surveying the area Sunday to determine their next course of action.

PHOTO: Water from Lake Oroville began to flow over the emergency spillway Saturday morning as the lake reached full capacity. Water officials and engineers were surveying the area Sunday to determine their next course of action. PHOTO: Kelly M. Grow/ California Department of Water Resources

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Water from the emergency spillway flowed swiftly along the uncontrolled land on Sunday, taking out a portion of this road.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Kelly M. Grow/California Department of Water Resources

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Here's a closer look at that road.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Kelly M. Grow/ California Department of Water Resources

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Heavy water flows from the 3,000-foot Oroville Dam spillway pushed debris into the Feather River as dirt, rocks and concrete were washed away.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources

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Water flows down the main Oroville Dam spillway were sitting at about 55,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) as water continued to rise on Lake Oroville

PHOTO: PHOTO: Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources

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Once the lake reached the 901 feet elevation mark, water began cascading down the emergency spillway for the first time in the Oroville Dam's 48-year history.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Kelly M. Grow/California Department of Water Resources

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Water gushed down the normal spillway as helicopters surveyed the situation from above.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources

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About 188,000 residents in Butte, Sutter and Yuba counties were ordered to evacuate as water officials believed the emergency spillway was in danger of failing.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources

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People watched and took pictures of the water spewing out of the normal spillway as it flowed into the Feather River.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Dale Kolke/California Department of Water Resources

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The Oroville Dam emergency spillway sent water from Lake Oroville over uncontrolled land and into the Feather River. Crews worked for several days to clear out trees and vegetation along this land to help reduce debris flow into the river.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Dale Kolke/California Department of Water Resources

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This image depicts the powerful nature of the massive amounts of water spilling down the Oroville Dam spillway, which had erosion that was discovered Tuesday.

Water from Lake Oroville began to flow over the emergency spillway Saturday morning as the lake reached full capacity. Water officials and engineers were surveying the area Sunday to determine their next course of action.

PHOTO: Water from Lake Oroville began to flow over the emergency spillway Saturday morning as the lake reached full capacity. Water officials and engineers were surveying the area Sunday to determine their next course of action. PHOTO: Kelly M. Grow/ California Department of Water Resources

Water from the emergency spillway flowed swiftly along the uncontrolled land on Sunday, taking out a portion of this road.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Kelly M. Grow/California Department of Water Resources

Here's a closer look at that road.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Kelly M. Grow/ California Department of Water Resources

Heavy water flows from the 3,000-foot Oroville Dam spillway pushed debris into the Feather River as dirt, rocks and concrete were washed away.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources

Water flows down the main Oroville Dam spillway were sitting at about 55,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) as water continued to rise on Lake Oroville

PHOTO: PHOTO: Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources

Once the lake reached the 901 feet elevation mark, water began cascading down the emergency spillway for the first time in the Oroville Dam's 48-year history.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Kelly M. Grow/California Department of Water Resources

Water gushed down the normal spillway as helicopters surveyed the situation from above.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources

About 188,000 residents in Butte, Sutter and Yuba counties were ordered to evacuate as water officials believed the emergency spillway was in danger of failing.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources

People watched and took pictures of the water spewing out of the normal spillway as it flowed into the Feather River.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Dale Kolke/California Department of Water Resources

The Oroville Dam emergency spillway sent water from Lake Oroville over uncontrolled land and into the Feather River. Crews worked for several days to clear out trees and vegetation along this land to help reduce debris flow into the river.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Dale Kolke/California Department of Water Resources

This image depicts the powerful nature of the massive amounts of water spilling down the Oroville Dam spillway, which had erosion that was discovered Tuesday.

Water from Lake Oroville began to flow over the emergency spillway Saturday morning as the lake reached full capacity. Water officials and engineers were surveying the area Sunday to determine their next course of action.

PHOTO: Water from Lake Oroville began to flow over the emergency spillway Saturday morning as the lake reached full capacity. Water officials and engineers were surveying the area Sunday to determine their next course of action. PHOTO: Kelly M. Grow/ California Department of Water Resources

Water from the emergency spillway flowed swiftly along the uncontrolled land on Sunday, taking out a portion of this road.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Kelly M. Grow/California Department of Water Resources

Here's a closer look at that road.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Kelly M. Grow/ California Department of Water Resources

Heavy water flows from the 3,000-foot Oroville Dam spillway pushed debris into the Feather River as dirt, rocks and concrete were washed away.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources

Water flows down the main Oroville Dam spillway were sitting at about 55,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) as water continued to rise on Lake Oroville

PHOTO: PHOTO: Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources

Once the lake reached the 901 feet elevation mark, water began cascading down the emergency spillway for the first time in the Oroville Dam's 48-year history.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Kelly M. Grow/California Department of Water Resources

Water gushed down the normal spillway as helicopters surveyed the situation from above.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources

About 188,000 residents in Butte, Sutter and Yuba counties were ordered to evacuate as water officials believed the emergency spillway was in danger of failing.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Florence Low/California Department of Water Resources

People watched and took pictures of the water spewing out of the normal spillway as it flowed into the Feather River.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Dale Kolke/California Department of Water Resources

The Oroville Dam emergency spillway sent water from Lake Oroville over uncontrolled land and into the Feather River. Crews worked for several days to clear out trees and vegetation along this land to help reduce debris flow into the river.

PHOTO: PHOTO: Dale Kolke/California Department of Water Resources

This image depicts the powerful nature of the massive amounts of water spilling down the Oroville Dam spillway, which had erosion that was discovered Tuesday.